The Heathen Rage!

 Thought For Today - April 1
 The Heathen Rage!
By: Robert A Searles

    "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." Psalm 2: 1-3.

    The governments of the world have driven God from their midst. We, the people, have allowed it to happen, and the resulting degradation, and immorality is the obvious result. One of these days he shall keep his promise: as in Psalm 2: verse 4: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree : the Lord hath said unto me, thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings, : be instructed, ye judges of the earth." Psalm 2: 4-10.

    We wait patiently for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to take his rightful position as King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. When that happens, then , righteousness and peace and prosperity shall prevail, and we who are his will reign with him  because God has made us to be joint heirs with him.

In the mean time, let us "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." Psalm 2: 11,12.

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Whatsoever He Saith Unto Thee, Do It!

Whatsoever He Saith Unto Thee, Do It! 

 "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. and when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, woman, what have I to do with thee, mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. and there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew) ;the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: But thou hast kept the good wine unto now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him." John 2: 1-11

"His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

    This must we do, also, if we want to see miracles in our lives. Whatsoever he saith for us to do, we must do it. Obedience is better than sacrifice, and is more acceptable with the Lord.

    According to human common sense and worldly wisdom, on the surface, it seems that one would not fill the pots with water if they wanted wine. Many things which the Lord asks us to do does not make much sense to us according to our own worldly wisdom, at the time, but if we will obey him, we will see miracles worked in our lives.

    The thing that he asks us to do is the most difficult at times, that is, to believe ,and to trust and obey.

Preach the Gospel!

Thought For Today - March 30
 Preach the Gospel!
By: Robert A. Searles

           The apostle Paul said: "So much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1: 15,16.

    The gospel, the good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost; the good news that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures; that he was buried and rose again the third day, according to the scriptures; the gospel is the power of God to save all that believe, therefore, we need never be ashamed or disappointed with the gospel. As God gives us the faith to believe and appropriate to ourselves this wonderful good news, we can have the assurance that all our sins, short comings, and failures, died with Christ, and a new life was resurrected with Christ. To show gratitude for all that God has done for us through Christ, we ought also to be ready and eager to preach the gospel wherever we go ,and as we go, as God gives us the faith, and ability, and resources to do so.


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Light in the Darkness

 
 Thought For Today - March 29
  Light in the Darkness
By: Robert A. Searles
  Light in the Darkness

    Try to imagine a day with not a cloud in the sky, and the sun shining in all its' noon day brightness and glory, yet you were surrounded by darkness, so intense, that it would be necessary for some one to come along and tell you that the sun was shining.

    This was the sad condition of the world two thousand years ago, and still is today, that the darkness of sin was, and is so heavy that even though the light of God was, and is shining, it was necessary for some one to come along and tell the world that the light was shining. God sent John the Baptist to tell the world that the light of the world, Jesus Christ was already in the world.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came into his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; Which were born, not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1: 1-12.

Christ who is indeed the light of the world, -  when we believe him and trust him, -  will dispel the darkness of sin and evil, and cause his glorious light to shine in our lives and give us victory over all that is evil.

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Take up thy Bed and Walk.

 
 Thought For Today -March 28
  Take up thy Bed and Walk. 
By: Robert A. Searles

    "And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed, and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; son be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, this man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? for whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house." Matthew 9: 2-7

    As Jesus dealt with this man who had the palsy, he said: "thy sin be forgiven thee, arise, take up thy bed and walk." to us also to whom he has granted the forgiveness of sins, he would say: take up thy bed and walk. In other words, we ought not to be held down and hindered by the remembrance or the effect of past sins, but we are to have a new beginning from the point where we have received forgiveness of sins.. Let us arise and walk with our feet firmly planted on the earth, and our heart and head in heaven, because Jesus has the power and authority to not only forgive our sins and heal our body, but also , to delete from our soul all things that would keep us from being the successful children of God that he wants us to be.

    Let us arise and go forward and expect great things from God and strive to do great things for God..

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Willing workers for the Lord!

 Thought for Today - March 27
 Willing workers for the Lord!
By: Robert A. Searles

    Whatever we are called upon to do in service for the Lord, we ought to do it eagerly, because we could never do enough for the Lord to compensate for what he has done for us. He is the Lord God of all creation, and he himself has paid the death penalty for all our sins.

 "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" Romans. 3:23. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

 For this free gift to be effective, it must be received with gratitude, by each of us individually.

    "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1: 12.. 

 As the children of God, we should not only delight to eat at his table, but also , work in his fields
 To do good is always lawful with God no matter what the day may be.


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Dead or Alive?

 Thought For Today - March 25
  Dead or Alive?
By: Robert A. Searles

    It is interesting to observe how the body of Jesus is referred to while he was being scourged and crucified , and while he was dying.  "And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. and when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:' and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Luke 23:44-46.

    The personal pronoun used is HE  indicating a living person. However, after his death, his body is referred to as IT, indicating a lifeless object. 

 "Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took IT down, and wrapped IT in linen, and laid IT in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone wherein never man before was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices, and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment" Luke 23: 47-56

    Then again, after his resurrection, the reference is again HE  indicating that HE is alive again. 

"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them, And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead HE is not here, but is risen: remember how HE spake unto you when HE was yet in Galilee, Saying, the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." Luke 24: 1-7.

    He died, his body became temporarily empty of his spirit, and a lifeless object (IT). Then, praise God, his spirit returned to his body again, and HE was bodily resurrected, and so, the man Christ Jesus is eternally alive in the heaven in both body and spirit, and some day we shall see him as he is, and if we are saved we shall be like him.

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Faith to Believe

 
  Thought For Today -March 23
   Faith To Believe!
  By: Robert A. Searles

    “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them." Acts:14:8-18.

    In order for the Lord to heal us, spiritually, mentally, or physically, he must see in us the faith to believe that he can, and will heal us. We must recognize our healing when it comes and give him thanks, and walk, and leap, and praise him.

When the Gentiles saw the miracles which had been accomplished through Paul and Barnabus, they attributed them to their own false gods. They thought that Paul and Barnabus were their own false gods appearing in the flesh, and were ready to make sacrifices to them.

    The gospel that Paul and Barnabus preached was: that there is only one true God who performs miracles, forgives sin, heals our bodies, and provides for us everything we need. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. We must offer our praise and thanksgiving to him alone, and believe that it is he who does it.

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Seek Wisdom and Understanding

 Thought For Today - March 22
 Seek wisdom and understanding.
 By: Robert A. Searles

    "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5.

    We are admonished to work harder for wisdom, and knowledge of God, and his fellowship, then we do to make our living and accumulate wealth. When we educate ourselves in the ways of God, then we know right from wrong, and how to make wise decisions.

    "When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee." Proverbs 2: 10,11.

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Who Will Show Us Any Good?

Thought For Today - March 21
 Who will show us any good? 
By: Robert A. Searles  

    "But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly, for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still, Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." Psalm 4: 3-8.

    Often we go about with a negative spirit, not expecting or believing any good. We are fearful to go to the mailbox, we are fearful to answer the telephone, we are fearful when a strange car drives up to the door. We call ourselves the "born again" children of God, but we live and act as if God did not exist, or if he did, that he does not care for us. The truth is, just as we had nothing to do with our physical birth, so, likewise ,we had nothing to do with our spiritual birth, so ,if we are  consciously aware of our spiritual birth, and recognize God as our parent, then we need to realize the fact that God is going to look after his children and provide for their needs. We are kept and set apart by God to do and continue his work here on earth, we need to clear our mind of all negative thoughts and fears, and fill our mind with the word of God, and offer the sacrifice of righteousness, which is our entire mind, body, and soul to the work and purposes of God. Then, -  "I will lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

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Walk With The Lord

 
 Thought For Today - March 20 
  Walk with the Lord!
By: Robert A. Searles

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee." Psalm 128: 1,2.

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God..."Col 1:10.

    We find ourselves to be the happiest and most blessed and contented when we are in total submission to God our father. Seeking his will and direction in all that we do, and as willing servants, working faithfully for him, bringing forth fruit for his glory, and increasing in the knowledge, and in our communion and daily intimacy with God.

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Used of God

 
 Thought For Today -March 19
  Used of God!
By: Robert A. Searles

    , God uses for his purposes, the most unlikely people to do his work. Billy Sunday, an alcoholic, God saved him and he became a great evangelist, preaching the gospel of Christ, and the evils of alcohol.  John Newton was a notorious slave trader, alcoholic, self proclaimed libertine, was, by the grace of God, saved, and became a great preacher of the gospel, and gave to the world his confession in song, the beautiful hymn: "Amazing Grace" and many others.

    Saul of Tarsus, the great persecutor of the early Christians was met by Christ as he traveled to Damascus to bind and imprison Christians, and was  given the great commission to go to the gentile world, and be a witness for Christ, and there after became known as the great apostle Paul, who was responsible for planting churches everywhere he traveled.

  "And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest:It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him ,arise, go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Acts 9: 1-6.

    What might God have for us to do for him? If we are saved and in communion with God, the Holy Spirit will speak to us, and tell us what we are to do.

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She Lives!

One Comforting Thought For Today - December 13, 2022
He Lives (Jesus) - So She Lives!
By: Robert A. Searles

In memory of my beloved wife of sixty six years - Joanne

She is not dead, but is very much alive and finally at home  with Jesus where she so much wanted to be. No more dementia; no more knee problems;  no more stomach problems; no more cares, worries or problems of any kind . She is young again enjoying the bliss and splendors of Heaven - while waiting to receive her brand new glorified, resurrected body - and waiting for me and her children and grand children  to join her which was her lifelong prayer that the family circle in Heaven would be unbroken.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.  She believed in him -  so was her confession to God, to me, and to many others to whom she presented the gospel and tried to persuade to believe.and to be saved.  We can therefore know that she lives and is safe in the arms of Jesus.

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of  God, an house  not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which  is from heaven.  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of  life.  Now he hat hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also  hath given unto us the earnest  of the Spirit.  Therefore we are always confident,knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk  by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor,that,whether present or absent,we maybe accepted of him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ : that every one may receive the things done in his body,, according to that he hath done , whether it be good  or bad." . 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.

Dear reader - do you have this assurance?

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

                                        Psalm 26: 7



 

Guard Your House

Thought For Today -March 17
 Guard your house!
By: Robert A. Searles

    "Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude." Luke 22: 3-6.

    Judas was used by Satan. Judas was available for Satan to enter his house, or his body. Our physical bodies are the houses or tabernacles in which the real us, our spirits dwell while here on earth. If the Holy Spirit is not a permanent resident, along with our spirit in our earthly house, or tabernacle, then our house has a vacant room, as it were, where Satan, as an intruder, can enter, and bring his demons with him, and set up his headquarters, and perform his diabolical schemes through us.

We must guard our house with all diligence lest it be open and available for evil. Let the Word of God be the door keeper of our house.

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Christ sets us free!

Thought For Today - March 16
 Christ sets us free!
By: Robert A. Searles

    Satan likes to bind us and imprison us with divers kinds of infirmity and troubles, to keep us from serving and glorifying   God. But Jesus sees our bondage and imprisonment, and calls us to himself to believe him, and trust and obey him, and when we respond to his loving call, he sets us free. 

Satan cannot hold that which Christ has freed. When we are at last set free from Satan 's hold on us, whether it be sin, lack of faith, or physical sickness or infirmities, or the oppression of our spiritual enemies, Christ our Lord expects us to use our new found freedom and energy, and strength to serve and glorify him.

    Jesus saw a helpless person who was bound with a physical infirmity. Jesus called the helpless person to himself. Jesus set her free. She used her new found freedom and energy to serve and glorify God. 

 "And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God." Luke 13:11-13.

    Let us seek to glorify and serve God with the freedom that Christ has provided for us.

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Holiday in Heaven

 
 Thought For Today - March 15
  Holiday in Heaven!
By: Robert A.Searles

    How would you like to have a holiday declared in heaven because of you? Go out and win one person to Christ, and there shall be great merriment in our father's house.

    "Jesus spoke this parable and said unto them. What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness ,and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing . And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends, and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you ,that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons ,which need no repentance." Luke 15: 3-7


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What Does II Mean To Be a Christian?

Thought For Today - March 14
 What does it mean to be a Christian?
By: Robert A. Searles

    What does it really mean to be a Christian, and an obedient child of God? The answer - to believe and confess that we are sinners, and have, by nature, and by choice, disobeyed and transgressed the laws and commandments of God, and consequently are lost and eligible to receive the wages of sin, which is death, and need a Savior. It means that we are willing to confess that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to seek and to save that which was lost, and that means each and every one of us. To become a Christian we must ask for , and accept his forgiveness, and to love him and all that he has created, from the lowest creature to the highest.

    Jesus said: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Math 22: 37-40.

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The Secret Place

 Thought for Today March 13
 The Secret Place.
By: Robert A. Searles

    When the trials and afflictions of life come upon us, we do not need to flee to drugs, alcohol, or illicit sex to find solace and comfort. God has provided for us a perpetual vacation resort, a secret place where we can meet and abide with him and find the solution to all our problems.

    "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress ,my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be my shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him, With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." Psalm  91

    We need to teach the generations to come to dwell in the secret place of the most high, and to make the Lord their habitation.


Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry
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How Do We Approach God's Word?

  Thought For Today - February 18
  How do We Approach God's Word?
By: Robert A. Searles

    With what attitude do we approach God's word, the bible? Is it a chore to read it, and are we bored with it, and find it dull reading? Or, do we approach God's word with excitement and anticipation, expecting to see miracles performed before our eyes?While reading and studying God's word, do we hear the voice of God speaking to us, giving us direction for our lives? When God, through his word, shows us the experience of other men of past ages, some who rebelled against God and his word, and some who honored God and his word, do we profit from it?

  If we have the first attitude that reading God's word is a chore and not interesting, then it may be that we are just drawing near to God with our lips, but our heart may be far from him, and the only reason we bother with God at all is because we have been taught by parents or teachers that we ought to honor God, and this is not truly the conviction of our own heart.

 If we don't really have a deep love for God, and the things of God down deep in our heart, and if our worship and service is only with our mouth ,and hands, and not with our whole heart, then the bible will be a sealed book to us, because the bible is the only book in existence which must have its' author present when read in order to be understood. When the heart of man is not really yielded to God, then the spirit is not present to teach the meaning of God's word. 

    The bible is the most profound book ever written, yet there is no college or university in existence which can give you enough education to understand it. On the other hand, it is revealed by the Holy Spirit to small children, and the simplest of men whose hearts are in tune with God's Holy Spirit.

If we approach God's word with the attitude of boredom or lack of interest, we ought to give our hearts some careful examination to determine if we are saved, and have been truly "born again" and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

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Recognizing Our Enemies

 Thought For Today - February 21
  Recognizing Our Enemy!
By: Robert A. Searles

    Who is the enemy of our soul? Who is it that tries to rob us of our peace, our joy, and our happiness? Who is it that searches us out to find a weak spot in our faith and character, so that he can take advantage of us and weaken us still further? Who is it that constantly tries to hold our sins and our faults before us, and accuse us before God and all the Holy angels? Who is it that goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour?

    Our enemy is none other than God's enemy, Satan. Our true enemies are not those who can destroy the body, but those who can destroy the mind and soul as well as the body.  We must beware of our enemy and be acquainted with his tactics.

 Satan will accuse God's children before him. He will show us our past sins, mistakes, and failures, and try to convince us that nothing has changed, that we are the same persons that we ever were before we were saved. He will try to persuade us that God is not concerned with us. He will try to divide husband and wife, son and daughter, and every family member. If Satan can divide families, he has gained an important foothold, because family unity is the foundation of strength and a fortress against infidelity.

    Satan does not want you to be happy while serving God, so he causes depression, he brings morbid thoughts to the mind, and he wants us to believe that serving God is a drag, and that we are missing out on the joys of living. He would like for us to believe that the only way we can be truly happy is if we are pursuing the things of the world., so, he tries to get our minds off God and focused on the things of the world.  

 As children of God, we must be aware of him and his tactics, and put our trust in God. As the Psalmist said in Psalm 7:1 -  " O Lord my God in thee do I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver"

 Who is it that persecutes us and tears our soul like a lion other than the emissaries of darkness.? When we know that Satan is afflicting us we can call out to the Lord as the Psalmist did in Psalm 7:6 -  "Arise O Lord, in thine anger; lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies; and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded." Psalm 7:8 says - "The Lord shall judge the peoples; judge me O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me."

    Our defense against Satan and his demons is in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I claim none of my own righteousness because I have none, except that which I have received from Christ by his grace.

 Psalm 7: 9 says -  "Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just, for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins ." verse 10 says - "My defense is with God which saveth the upright in heart."

    Other scripture says: "resist the devil and he will flee from you." Whenever Satan tries to plague us and destroy us, sing praises in your heart to God, and remind yourselves that you are a child of God, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, ask the Lord to rebuke Satan and cause him to flee away from you. Then you will have victory, and peace and joy and happiness will return to you.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

https://telehelppublicationsbookshelf.blogspot.com

https://telehelpstoressc.com

Our Song of Praise

 Thought For Today - March 7
  Our Song of Praise!
By: Robert A. Searles

    "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high." Psalm 9: 1,2

Our song should be that we will praise God with our whole heart; we will show forth all his marvelous works. We ought to be glad and rejoice in him, and sing praise to his name.

    God truly has been so good to us, but not because of anything that we have done, but because of his love ,and grace and mercy. Many are our trials and afflictions, but faithful to deliver is our God. "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for thou, Lord hast not forsaken those who seek thee." Psalm 9: 10. 

   "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. for the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever." Psalm 9: 17,18.

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Psalm 34: 19.

"This is my comfort in my affliction; for thy word hath quickened me." Psalm 119: 50. 

"Now, thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifests the savor of his knowledge by us in every place." 2 Cor 2: 14

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 37-39


Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry 

https://telehelppublications.blogspot.com 

https://sterlingsilvercollections.blogspot.com

That Most Wonderful Name

 
 Thought For Today - March 6
  That Most Wonderful Name!
By: Robert A. Searles


    Who is the person that is most talked about in the world today in a derogatory way? Everywhere you go, you cannot escape it, wherever you go today you will hear most everyone from all walks of life, talking about this person, yet they speak of him in blasphemous and dishonoring terms, and use his name in vain, and drag his name through the mud, and trample his love gift under foot. This person is the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Yet ,we Christians who claim to be born again, the recreated children of God, shy away from talking directly about the Lord Jesus Christ.  In our daily conversation with other Christians, how often are we actually talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, and sharing with our friends how wonderful he is. We talk about our church, our pastors, we talk about our Sunday School class, we talk about all kinds of activities and programs and service, but it seems to me that the person of the Lord Jesus Christ himself is grossly neglected. Jesus never intended for us to separate the sacred from the secular. He wants to be involved in everything we do.

    Sometimes we tend to put the Lord Jesus Christ in a glass case, if you will, and put him on the shelf and talk about things that pertain to him, but this is not his proper place. He does not want to be an object of conversation, he wants to be involved in it. When we are sitting in our living room, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ should be as common in our conversation as any one else there. He wants to be part of our family group, he wants to be our guest for dinner everyday.

    Oh! how we ought to really love the Lord Jesus Christ, after all he has done for us, and we ought to praise his name and exalt him in all our doings. Even when we are eating an apple, we can love Jesus because he made the apple. He made all things, and sustains all things, and freely gives us all things to enjoy.

    So many times the church, the activities, and the service , and programs which we are involved in ,take the place of our actual personal relationship with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. All these programs are good and should not be neglected, but these should come about as the result of out deep love ,and gratitude ,and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, not as a substitute for it.

What a wonderful person the Lord Jesus Christ is! How he loves us, and how we ought to love him in return!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 

 God did not send the church to die for us, he did not send angels, he did not send pastors, he did not send activities, he did not send services. No, he sent the person of the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us and to be raised again for our justification. He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. He alone is the object of our love. He ought to be the center of our life and conversation.

    Do not say: I am happy, but say rather, the Lord Jesus Christ makes me happy. Don't say - this is a good day, but rather say -  the Lord Jesus Christ has given us another beautiful day. Don't say I have a new dress, or new clothes. Don't say I have a new car or house or things, but rather say -  because he loves me, the Lord Jesus Christ has showered me with all these blessings to enjoy. 

Don't avoid calling him by name by just saying in a vague way, Lord;The Lord; or God; or the man upstairs; or the creator; or the divinity. These are all proper names for him , to be sure, but he wants to be known in a familiar way ,and known and proclaimed as The Lord Jesus Christ whom we know and love as our own personal Savior.

We sing: "Oh, how I love Jesus," but much of the time he is grossly neglected and ignored from our conversation and activities, and from being actually involved in our practical lives.

    No one can proclaim with honesty the Lord Jesus Christ as his own personal savior -  Lord , and acquaintance, and the object of his love unless he has been born again. Jesus said: "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3: 3. 

 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven." Math 7:21. 

And what is the will of the father? To love the Lord Jesus Christ with all our heart, all our mind and all our soul. No man calleth Jesus Lord, except he be led and taught of the Holy Spirit.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

https://telehelppublications.blogspot.com

https://sterlingsilvercollections.blogspot.com










By: Robert A. Searles


    Who is the person that is most talked about in the world today in a derogatory way? Everywhere you go, you cannot escape it, wherever you go today you will hear most everyone from all walks of life, talking about this person, yet they speak of him in blasphemous and dishonoring terms, and use his name in vain, and drag his name through the mud, and trample his love gift under foot. This person is the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Yet ,we Christians who claim to be born again, the recreated children of God, shy away from talking directly about the Lord Jesus Christ.  In our daily conversation with other Christians, how often are we actually talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, and sharing with our friends how wonderful he is. We talk about our church, our pastors, we talk about our Sunday School class, we talk about all kinds of activities and programs and service, but it seems to me that the person of the Lord Jesus Christ himself is grossly neglected. Jesus never intended for us to separate the sacred from the secular. He wants to be involved in everything we do.

    Sometimes we tend to put the Lord Jesus Christ in a glass case, if you will, and put him on the shelf and talk about things that pertain to him, but this is not his proper place. He does not want to be an object of conversation, he wants to be involved in it. When we are sitting in our living room, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ should be as common in our conversation as any one else there. He wants to be part of our family group, he wants to be our guest for dinner everyday.

    Oh! how we ought to really love the Lord Jesus Christ, after all he has done for us, and we ought to praise his name and exalt him in all our doings. Even when we are eating an apple, we can love Jesus because he made the apple. He made all things, and sustains all things, and freely gives us all things to enjoy.

    So many times the church, the activities, and the service , and programs which we are involved in ,take the place of our actual personal relationship with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. All these programs are good and should not be neglected, but these should come about as the result of out deep love ,and gratitude ,and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, not as a substitute for it.

What a wonderful person the Lord Jesus Christ is! How he loves us, and how we ought to love him in return!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 

 God did not send the church to die for us, he did not send angels, he did not send pastors, he did not send activities, he did not send services. No, he sent the person of the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us and to be raised again for our justification. He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. He alone is the object of our love. He ought to be the center of our life and conversation.

    Do not say: I am happy, but say rather, the Lord Jesus Christ makes me happy. Don't say - this is a good day, but rather say -  the Lord Jesus Christ has given us another beautiful day. Don't say I have a new dress, or new clothes. Don't say I have a new car or house or things, but rather say -  because he loves me, the Lord Jesus Christ has showered me with all these blessings to enjoy. 

Don't avoid calling him by name by just saying in a vague way, Lord;The Lord; or God; or the man upstairs; or the creator; or the divinity. These are all proper names for him , to be sure, but he wants to be known in a familiar way ,and known and proclaimed as The Lord Jesus Christ whom we know and love as our own personal Savior.

We sing: "Oh, how I love Jesus," but much of the time he is grossly neglected and ignored from our conversation and activities, and from being actually involved in our practical lives.

    No one can proclaim with honesty the Lord Jesus Christ as his own personal savior -  Lord , and acquaintance, and the object of his love unless he has been born again. Jesus said: "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3: 3. 

 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven." Math 7:21. 

And what is the will of the father? To love the Lord Jesus Christ with all our heart, all our mind and all our soul. No man calleth Jesus Lord, except he be led and taught of the Holy Spirit.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

https://telehelppublications.blogspot.com

https://sterlingsilvercollections.blogspot.com

Thought For Today -March 5
 Wise Children Maketh a Glad Father!
By: Robert A. Searles

    "A wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother." Proverbs 10:1

God compares our relationship to him as a father and son relationship. When we do wisely as his children, we please him, and make him glad. Walking in our own ways, and doing our own thing, and storing up treasures for the pleasure of the flesh will profit us nothing; but giving ourselves completely to God and living righteously delivereth from death.
 
    When we give God less than our best, whether it be our time, or our money, or our abilities, or our very selves, we become poor. Proverbs 10:4 says: "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."

    If we want to make our heavenly father glad, as verse one says that a wise son should do,. and if we our selves want to be enriched, then we ought to be willing to go to work in our father's vineyard while it is yet summer, and we have the opportunity to do so. Verse 5 says: "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son, but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame." "The labor of the righteous tendeth to life; the fruit of the wicked is sin." Proverbs 10:16

    Jesus said in John 4: 35-38 "Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And here is that saying true, one soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that on which ye bestowed no labor; other men labored and ye are entered into their labors."

    Babies cannot work in the fields, they must remain behind in the nurseries and be breast fed, and nursed with the milk of the word; but, we are grown children, and no longer feed on milk alone, but we ought to be able to eat and digest meat of the word and gain the strength we need to go to work in the fields. If not we are retarded children.

 "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Heb 5:12-14

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

https://telehelppublications.blogspot,com

https://sterlingsilvercollections.blogspot.com

Committed

 
 Thought  For Today  - January 30
 Committed !
By: Robert A. Searles

   "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished." Proverbs 16: 3-5.

    According to the dictionary, the word establish means -  to make secure or permanent;to fix firmly in a particular place, or condition; to clear from doubt; demonstrate convincingly; prove.  So, if we commit our works unto the Lord and commit ourselves unto the Lord, then our thoughts will be securely and permanently fixed firmly in him. There will be no doubt as to who we are, where we came from, or where we are going. If our thoughts are established, or fixed in him, then the things that we do will be right and pleasing to him, because the action of our bodies are motivated and controlled by the thoughts that are deep seated, and fixed down deep in our sub conscious mind, which is the heart. It is this control center of our lives - the heart- which must be right with God and cleansed and regenerated. When we make a commitment, we make a choice.

 God gave every person the freewill to choose. If we choose to believe God, and go God's way, and if we choose to turn our back on everything that is ungodly, then we have committed our ways unto the Lord, and then the promise follows, that our thought, or the controlling elements of our being will be established.

    "The Lord hath made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." whether they know it or not, all men were made and designed to be the instruments of God. This is the purpose of the existence of all things, even things that seem to be bad and wicked. these things were made to be used by God.

    God gives everyone the right to choose whether or not he will be yielded as an instrument of God. What most people don't know is, that they were designed and created in such a way that they can only know true joy, happiness, and peace of mind, when they choose to commit their ways unto the Lord as instruments in his hands for his use. Therefore, they pursue happiness, joy, and peace of mind in the world, and never find it.

    The proud in heart who choose not to commit their ways unto the Lord, those who say we will do our own thing, and he will not have any authority over us, will receive the punishment from God. Their lives will be shallow and drab and without purpose and goals, they will spend their lives going from one thing to another in pursuit of happiness, and never find it. Apart from God they will be frustrated and lost forever.

When our thoughts are established in God, then: " by mercy and truth iniquity is purged : and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil." "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16: 6,7.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

https://telehelppublicationsbookshelf.blogspot.com

https://telehelpstoressc.com

We Become like what we Think About

 
 Thought For Today - January 30
 We become like what we think about!
By: Robert A. Searles

"The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts." Psalm 10: 4.

  Do we seek after God the very first thing that we do when we awake each morning? Is God in all out thoughts, or is God in any of our thoughts?

    It is very possible to perform services in the name of God, and to do good works in the name of God without really giving much thought to God, and without really seeking the presence and fellowship with God. Do we really worship and praise God in the spirit? Do we worship God in the beauty of his holiness, are we truly in love with God, or are we just in love with the idea of appearing Godly?

    Adolescents reach an age when they think that all that matters is being in love with members of the opposite sex. Psychiatrist will tell you that most of the time, they are not in love with any one person, but they are in love with the idea of love, because it seems to be the in thing to do. This is why it is dangerous for young people to get deeply involved with this sort of thing until they get older; but this is just an example of what can happen to us as Christians. We can become so involved in the idea of serving God, and being all wrapped up in activities and going to church, and we can get so busy doing things, that we might forget to seek God ,and exclude him from any or all of our thoughts
.
    If we are to worship God properly the way that God wants us to worship him in the beauty of holiness, we must worship him in spirit and in truth. God must be predominant in all our thoughts. What does it mean for God to be predominant in all our thoughts? It means that when we awake from sleep, our first thoughts will causes us to consciously fix our mind upon the Lord Jesus Christ and God, and that by the process of our will, we choose to keep our mind fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ all during our waking hours. Every thought that comes into our mind during the course of the day will be in subjection to him , and under the control of this primary thought which is fixed upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee." This is what it means to keep our minds and hearts stayed on him.

    We are ,and will become what we think. We can choose what we think; therefore, it is up to us really what we are, and what we will become, because by the process of our conscious will we choose the things that we think about.  If the predominate thought in our mind is on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the beauty of his holiness, then we will, more and more each day grow into his image and likeness. Proverbs 23: 7 tells us that: "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Again, we are what we think about.

"Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Romans 12: 2

 Our power and blessing from God comes through praying without ceasing.  1Thes 5: 17 tells us to "pray without ceasing." How can we pray without ceasing? We pray without ceasing by thinking, without ceasing, of the Lord Jesus Christ. "In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths".

"Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things". Phil 4:8.
You are what you keep your mind on.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

https://telehelppublicationsbookshelf.blogspot.com
https://telehelpstoressc.com